Lake Mary Terms May Get Longer

LAKE MARY — Voters may get to decide this fall whether city commissioners' terms will be three years, instead of two years.

City commissioners voted 4-1 on a first reading Thursday to put the length of terms on the Nov. 8 ballot. Commissioner George Duryea cast the dissenting vote, saying he favored two-year terms.

Mayor Lowry Rockett said increasing the length of terms to three years was first brought up in 1992 when he chaired a charter review committee. The commission voted not to put the question on the ballot.

Rockett said three-year terms would make government more efficient and would give new commissioners increased time to gain a better understanding of the job.

''The first year, any new commissioner is somewhat in a learning process, and the second year they're already faced with an election,'' he said.

Commissioner Sheila Sawyer said she is comfortable with the current terms and that two years is enough to accomplish what needs to be done.

The change to three-year terms would not take place until the 1995 election, which will be for seat two held by Duryea and seat four held by Sawyer. Election for mayor, Gary Brender's seat one and David Mealor's seat three would be in 1996.

The commission also agreed to ask voters what date newly elected officials will take office.

Commissioners now take office within seven days of certification of the election. Under the proposed charter amendment, they would take office at the next commission meeting after the election.